Compression Garments for Weight Training...BULLSHIT!

OK , my Body Building needs are simple, power rack, bench and a chin bar..that's all I really need, hell its all most people really need (thanks Damon!). In its simplest terms training can be represented as inputs (food, training) process (response to training) outputs (health & physique). The subtlety (or the devil) is always in the detail. However more knowledge is not always good, so once we get a decent routine based around constant progression that appears to work, what do we do? We fuck with it! We get distracted, we seek quicker results and we spend and inordinate amount of time on factors that contribute less than 5% towards our results (like supplements). Worse still we do things that contribute nothing to our results, which brings me to the point of today's blog...compression garments.

Let me preface my discussion by saying that I am speaking in the context of efficacy for weight training and body building. Now if I see one more guy in my gym wearing compression clothing and then telling his mates about how good they are I am gonna freak! So why use them? Well the brochures wax lyrical about the "high performance" edge but fundamentally the alleged benefits can be summarized as: during performance (reduction in lactic acid, reduced muscle vibration for more support) and post performance (improved blood circulation and reduced muscle soreness).

So lets review these benefits in the context of bodybuilding.  Firstly studies regarding their use relate primarily to performance and recovery for endurance athletes not lifters. Ok what about lactic acid buffering you say? Well the compression garment is not going to make a difference to your 3rd set of squats and besides most of you are taking a buffering product like beta-alanine (aren't you?). What about improved blood flow... no chance and if it was an issue you could do a lighter flushing set of an antagonistic muscle. Reduced muscle soreness...I challenge anyone to reliably measure if they make a difference before and after a set of heavy squats or dead lifts.

What it comes down to is image. Be honest you love the way you look in the garment and the way it feels hugging those muscles tightly. If that feeling translates to extra reps the I am all for the placebo effect but just don't bullshit me that its for the intrinsic qualities of the garment though I question whether the price tag is worth it.

That aside what really peeves me is when the guy wearing the gear is about 15 kgs overweight...pulleeez!! Its bad enough that the local coffee shop is inundated with tribes of lycra clad cyclists staggering around post ride but now I have to put up with a similar sight in the gym.....oh my freakin eyes!!!

Bottom line, focus less about what you wear and more about what you squat!